Singlehanding - Sleeping - Good Idea?

[cooper]

...wind steering and an off course alarm...A button that turns your alarm (crapy noise of your choice) off in the companionway means you have to get up to the point that there is no point not having a look around. If you get very tired then perhaps heave too __ in daylight__ and take the risk of a few hours sleep. In daylight you can see them better and they you. A very tired sailor may make mistakes that have consequences as bad as being run down by a 29 trillion ton super tanker....you have to have a close look at your hand and chose your cards carefully.

[David M]

Originally Posted by cooper

...wind steering and an off course alarm...A button that turns your alarm (crapy noise of your choice) off in the companionway means you have to get up to the point that there is no point not having a look around. If you get very tired then perhaps heave too __ in daylight__ and take the risk of a few hours sleep. In daylight you can see them better and they you. A very tired sailor may make mistakes that have consequences as bad as being run down by a 29 trillion ton super tanker....you have to have a close look at your hand and chose your cards carefully.

Cooper,
I like your idea of heaving too and getting some shuteye during daylight. That seems to be the best way of avoiding a collision while getting a little sleep. I don't think the brain can function for long periods of time being awaken every 20 minutes, although I have never experienced it personally. It's not big deal if the boat is not moving much for a couple hours while hove too, after all, one is cruising and should not be on a tight time schedule anyway.

This IS an interesting thread.

[svbeausoleil]

Sailors,
I hate singlehanding but I hate worse having bad crew aboard. Sometimes ya just have to do it. I've crossed the pacific twice and the indian once alone and on 24' boats. The nights were the worse. Generally I cat napped 5 minutes at a time. These days people are jealous I can fall asleep in seconds, but hey, I've lots of experience.
Want to know more check out my websites:

sailingbooks.googlepages.com
or
education.of.a.falcon.googlepages.com

Happy sailing
Mike

[Tim88]

Just thought I would add in my piece.

After single handing for 4 months down the coast I still stick to my original plan, with a few added in for good measure, so here are my golden rules;

Have alarm (kitchen timer) attached to safety harness (on 24 hrs),
Set so that it alarms every 20 min,
No matter how tired, up every 20 min to look around and check sail conditions,
Never sleep when getting too close to land, less than 30 min,
Never sleep whilst engine is running, can't hear a thing and it makes you sleep more soundly!
If near shipping lanes, time your sleep to coincide,
Eat often,
Coincide your sleep for the weather conditions, in my case when the offshore winds are blowing strong during the night, stay up and rest during the day when winds are at the bottom end of the scale,
Adjust time asleep for the conditions, when in a fishing area I reduced time down to 10 min. (very quiet bit of coast)
Sleep often, adjust sail to make things easier.
Use electronic equipment to help, but don't rely on it!
Longest sail for coastal cruising was two nights and three days, after that you need a good rest.

Hope this helps somewhat, as to the comment that I wasn't keeping a watch 24 hrs a day. I spotted several ships in the shipping lanes, they never knew I was there. Most rely on a radar which is tuned out to allow for sea conditions. In short, you have to look out, as they will never see you!

Tim


Hope this helps!

[Brent Swain]

Life ashore, spending time in rush hour trafic , breathing the product of millions of exhuast pipes is far more dangerous than single handing will ever be.
I think AIS is a huge improvement in peace of mind for singlehanders.
I only once sailed with a crew on board when a 23 year old surfer girl hitched a ride to Mexico with me. Alto she had sailed before , experience was uneccessary except to know that major seasickness was unlikely, as she had already been somewhat tested on that score. Having an extra set of eyes aboard leaving Juan de Fuca was a godsend.
After that, seeing things thru her young ,adventurous eyes when mine had become somewhat jaded was a wondeful addition to the cruise.
I've usualy managed to get ten hours of sleep whenever I needed it. I've never had illusions or lonliness problems at sea, .

[defjef]

I single hand a 36 foot sloop. It's small enough that the forces under most conditions are workable for a man in good physical condition. But you need a reliable auto pilot or self steering, a windlass for anchoring and probably roller reefing, and lines led to the cockpit for all sail control. A good SSB rig is also almost essential to keep you in touch with weather reports.

I found a 36' boat had plenty of room for a single person, or a couple for long term "work".

But in heavy weather the forces increase very quickly so reefing and storm canvas are crucial.

jef
sv shiva

[Amgine]

Another reason to choose warm cruising destinations... I move into the cockpit when moving and single-handing. Other than ducking below for stores, chart checking, other very brief errands, I stay in the cockpit. I try to get my sleep moments during the day.

One thing I've found a personal weirdness: I feel better sailing coastal cruising at night. The lights are clear signatures, so I have a false sense of security because I know where I am and there are far fewer boats visible.

[Ex-Calif]

I have been mulling this one over - It seems that if you are within 12-18 hours of the coast you should be on deck and alert. This is where the traffic is. If you are coastal hopping I think planning for evening anchorages is prudent if possible.

If you are >18 hours off shore, avoid shipping lanes and get all the alarms and perhaps a radar with alarm.

I met a single hander a few months back that had a collision with a fishing boat. I understand the need to single hand but by definition you are violating the regs regarding lookouts.

I'd be a little peeved if I was hit by someone asleep at the wheel.

[GordMay]

Can responsible singlehanded sailors achieve significant levels of collision avoidance, through the use of sophisticated equipment, or do they merely rely upon “statistical luck”?

If single-handed sailing prevents one from maintaining a "proper lookout," as defined by the Rules[1], the very act is negligent.

Normally You will not see a ship in the daytime until the hull comes over the horizon. During night time hours, The higher lights may be seen sooner, in clear weather with little starlight.
Often, a ship can be spotted about 30 minutes prior to a possible collision.
It takes some time to determine whether you are on a collision course and to take evasive action, so realistically, your potential sleep time is reduced from thirty minutes to twenty minutes.

*1. Colregs - Part B, Section I, Rule 5: ”"Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight as well as ...”
Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (COLREGs)

[Rez]

I'm sorry I hit you dan! Honest.

[seagypsywoman]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

I have been mulling this one over - It seems that if you are within 12-18 hours of the coast you should be on deck and alert. This is where the traffic is. If you are coastal hopping I think planning for evening anchorages is prudent if possible.

If you are >18 hours off shore, avoid shipping lanes and get all the alarms and perhaps a radar with alarm.

I met a single hander a few months back that had a collision with a fishing boat. I understand the need to single hand but by definition you are violating the regs regarding lookouts.

I'd be a little peeved if I was hit by someone asleep at the wheel.

If you were hit by someone asleep at the wheel, means you were asleep too at the same time - it takes two people asleep to have a collision.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by seagypsywoman

If you were hit by someone asleep at the wheel, means you were asleep too at the same time - it takes two people asleep to have a collision.

I understand the sentiment and the regs are clear that we should ultimately avoid each other but your response seems to indicate that it is OK for one person to be asleep becuase the other person should not be asleep.

If you follow that logic then everyone can be asleep.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by seagypsywoman

If you were hit by someone asleep at the wheel, means you were asleep too at the same time - it takes two people asleep to have a collision.

I have a different take on this response than Dan did...

I think she means that if you are responsible and take care of making sure your vessel has a proper watch, and *you* are not asleep, you will have little worry of collision.

A little personal responsibility goes a long way, because she's right... it takes two people not paying attention to have a collision. If you always pay attention, you'll always be safe, regardless of what other idiot out there isn't paying attention.

[Pura Vida]

I loved the story in another thread of the sailor travelling between two island in the Carib. He set his autopilot for the day trip and went below to cook or something. He had been below for quite a while when he looked out the port to see another sailboat on an opposite course passing just a boat length away...

[SimonV]

We all now the colregs, and try the best to abide b them and as a single hander I consider having a 24 nm radar set for 2 min sweeps every 15 min with the proximity alarm set while I have a sleep when doing a crossing is sufficent, and can be argued as complying with the regs as best a single hander can, when outside shipping lanes. When I need to stay awake as in close to the coastor in the shipping lanes I set a wind up kitchen timer for 15 min and keep resetting it, in the event I do nood off it wil be only for a few mins before I am reminded to keep my eyes open.